Game play indicator



Dec. 15, 1936.,

F. F. HARRIE GAME PLAY INDI CATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g g g 3 Z w J5 fi/ azz%/wae ,1', ATTORNEY WITNESS:

Em E5, 19%. F. F. HARRIE GAME PLAY INDICATOR Filed Sept. 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlc e 4 Claims.

My present invention has reference to a game indicator. and is especially designed for use on a field when the game of football is being played and has for its object the provision of a device for this purpose which will enable the spectators, referee and players to accurately follow the various plays of the game. The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application, with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the L exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therefrom as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: a Figurelis a perspective view of my improved device.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the upper and headed portion of one of the posts to illustrate the arrangement of the sliding signal plates therein, one of which being in display position.

Figure 3 is a plan view thereof. Figure 4 is a. sectional view approximately on the line d-d of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a. side elevation of one of the posts, the dotted lines in the said figure showing the post collapsed or folded.

' Figure 6 is a front elevation of a post which is 5 constructed of telescopic sections.

Figure 7 is an elevation looking toward the upper portion of a post in which the head thereof is arranged in the same longitudinal plane as the post proper.

) The device is designed to be handled by two men, and to be moved along the playing field and placed along the difierent lines of the field as the game progresses. The device essentially comprises two posts, each being of a similar con- 5 struction and each, in Figures lto 5, being designated by the character 1. The posts have their lower ends pointed, as at 2, so that the same can be readily inserted in the ground and the posts have their confronting faces, adjacent their said [i pointed ends, provided with eyes to which are attached the ends of a flexible element preferably in the nature of a chain 3, and this chain is of a length, to space the posts yards away from each other.

5 As shown by the drawings the posts comprise upper and lower members, the latter being formed with the pointed ends. The post sections are connected together by hinges l and are held in longitudinal alinement by latches 5.

The upper end of the sectional post I is proi vided with the laterally extending enlargement in the nature of a head 6. By reference to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be noted that the heads 6 on the respective spaced posts I are arranged at a right angle to each other and that the opposed faces of each of the heads have heavily inscribed thereon the word Down. These signals will be visible from'all points of the playing field.

Each head i is hollow and has its'top, at the center thereof, provided with spaced slots ii four in number, and slidable through these slots, but normally received in the central compartment 8 in the respective heads s; there are numberbearing signal plates 9. The plates have'both of their faces numbered from i to d respectively and each of the plates has fixed to one side thereof and adjacent to its lower edge the flattened end E0 of a rod i i. Preferably the flattened ends it of the rods frictionally contact with the opposed longitudinal walls provided by the slots 8 so that each of the plates, when elevated by the movement of the rod it will be held in exposed position without liability of dropping into the compartment 8. Obviously other means may be provided for latching the signal plates 9 when the same are in raised or display position. The rods ii are connected to the respective plates at different points so that the said rods may pass through openingstherefor in' the upper sections of the posts i, the lower ends of the said rods being ofiset and extended through the posts to provide handles it, and these handles are movable through slots i3 that communicate with the openings that afford the passages for the rods. The openings it are of such length that when the handles i2 contact with the upper walls provided thereby the outward movement of the signal plates 9 to display position will be limited.

On the upper face of each'of the posts, below the heads 6 thereof, there is fixed a casing It for a grooved wheel or drum IS, a pivot l6 passing centrally through the drum and being fixed on the post. Arranged around each of the pivots l6 and exerting a pressure against the inner face of each of the drums l5 there isa concavo convex friction disc (Figure 4). The drums l5 have wound therearound and secured thereto a cable ill. on the cable l8 there is fixed a de- I pending ball position indicator plate iii. The plate i9 has inscribed prominently thereon the representation of a football, as indicated by the numeral 20, and each of the drums I! has on its outer face a handle 2| that projects through the open face of a split cylindrical casing I 4. The spring discs exert a sumcient tension or pressure against the drums to hold the said drums from accidental turning and for likewise holding the cable ii in a taut condition. The cable It is of a length and has its ends sumcientiy wound around the drumsto permit of either of the drums when turned to draw the ball indicator plate I9 to any position between the posts I.- The down signals are operatedsuccessfully from I to 4 as long as one of the teams holds the ball before being"down", when the other team is given possession of the ball. The ball position indicator I9 is moved betweenthe posts to indicate the exact position of the ball and the light chain 3 is employed to positively measure Ill yards when there is a doubt on the part of the referee with respect to the distance the ball has been taken by a player. A

In Figure 6 the difference between the post con-, struction and that previously described resides in constructing the post I of telescopic sections. Any number of such sections may be employed. Certain of the cooperating telescopic sections carry spring latches 22 having pins 23 to pass through alining openings in said sections when the posts are extended and these latches are, of course, removed when the sectional post is collapsed. The lower and reduced post section has its outer end pointed, as at 24.

In Figure 7 the upper section of the post ha its head 25 arranged in the same plane as the post proper,- the head being hollow and being provided with a compartment for the Down. signal plates 9' and the head having its opposite faces prominently inscribed with the word (mm).

of course, two cooperating posts are employed similar to those disclosed by Figures 6 and 7, and the said posts have mounted thereon the split or open mouth casings for the drums that carry the cable to which the ball position indicator is attached and it is believed that when the foregoing description has 'been read in connection with the accompanying drawings the construction and advantages of my improved device will be fully understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art to which such invention relates and that further detailed description will not be required, it being obvious that the posts may be collapsed or folded upon themselves and arranged one against the other to provide a small package when the device is not required for use.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A game signal device comprising a pair of spaced posts to be moved along the playing field in a football game, and means movable between the posts to indicate the position of the ball on the field, said means comprising a cable, a drum mounted on each post-and around which the terminals of the cable are wound.

2. A game signal device comprising a pair of spaced posts to be moved along the playing field in a football game, means movable between the posts to indicate the position of the ball on the field, said means comprising a cable, a drum mounted on each post and around which the terminals of the cable are wound, and spring friction means for controlling the free rotary movements of the drums.

3. A game signal device comprising a pair of spaced posts to be moved along the playing field in a football game, means movable between the posts to indicate the position of the ball on the field, said means comprising a cable, a drum mounted on each post and around which the terminals of the cable are wound, and means for preventing any free rotary movement of the drums and retaining the-cable in a taut position.

4. A linesmans indicator for football games FRANK F. HARRIE. 

